UC Irvine’s Summer Surgery and Better Than Live programs provide opportunities for undergraduate students who aim to develop skills in leadership, teaching, and mentoring.
We are seeking well rounded, highly motivated, and enthusiastic mentors to teach tutorials, instruct surgical skills training and to oversee live OR case observations in designated summer sessions. Most importantly, we encourage mentors to contribute their knowledge and life experiences to high school students who are starting their journey into medicine.
Along with the high school student participants, mentors will be given the opportunity to network with medical students, residents, and faculty. At the end of your summer assignment, mentors will have gained a new skill set that will allow each to become lifelong teachers and leaders.
Medical Student Leaders
We are seeking 4 current UCI MS1 students for our Medical Student Leader position. It is desired for this position to support Session I (Monday July 7, 2025 – Friday July, 18, 2025) as well as the Better Than Live, 1 week session (Monday June 9, 2025 – June 13, 2025) and Session II (Monday July 28, 2025 – Friday August 8, 2025) of the Summer Surgery program.
In this position, you will collaborate with fellow MS1 student leaders on the following:
- Daily implementation of the Summer Surgery program agenda and schedule
- Provide supervision/instruction of participants during operating room cases
- Provide instruction of anatomy and medical lectures
- Coordinate and lead simulation station rotations
- Provide mentorship regarding experiences in medical school and the application process
- Guide discussion within innovation teams
- Recruit physician speakers
- Participate in the review student participant applications
Deadline to apply: February 7, 2025
Laboratory Specialists
We are seeking undergraduate students for each Summer Surgery Sessions and the Better Than Live Summer program. It is desired to have 2 Laboratory Specialists per session.
In this position, you will support and facilitate the following:
- Instruct hands-on surgical skills workshops
- Aid in daily program activities which will include set-up, breakdown and final exam proctoring
- Leading student participants as a positive example
NOTE: If selected, surgical skills training will be provided prior to starting job assignment.
Deadline to apply: February 28, 2025
Alumni Mentors
We are on the lookout for returning Summer Surgery and Better Than Live Alumni to support the 2025 summer season. It is desired to have 2 Alumni Mentors for each summer session. If you are interested in continuing the Summer Surgery or the Better Than Live legacies, we welcome you back to share your knowledge and experience with the incoming Class of Summer 2025.
Deadline to apply: February 28, 2025